POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 210, 4 September 1919, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

(Before Air. Wilson, S.JI.) ,

STOLE A'PAIP. OP Charles Bryant (37) said he knew nothing of having stolen a pair of underpants from an outfitter's s'.ta'p' at •the corner of I J itt and Hereford Streets yesterday. He was under the infiuenei of drink at the time, be said. The owner of the apparel, Joseph Moore, statal that when he missed the pants he went outside and saw the accused. He haj the under.pants under his coat. Witney took possession of them. Accused told him. that a man in a hotel gave them- to 'him. but he also offered to pay him 50/ for them in the event of him pronnsin™ to refrain from sending for the police! Witness sent for the police, however and in evidence the arresting- constable stated that aectKed was slightly under the influence of liquor when he arrested j him, and seemed muddled. The Magiatrate held that accused was not so j muddled that he did net know that lie ; was depriving Moore of his property. 'He was convicted, and ordered to come |up for sentence within six monies ij | called upon, and ordered to return the garments and pay the costs, 5/. A. UNIQUE RUSE. "He has shown a considerable amount of felonious intent," was the remark of Chief-Detective MeMahon when conducting a charge against Ohas. Heijry ; Poulgrain (24) of having stolen a Cardigan jacket valued at 22/6, the property of Francis Douglas Beat. Accused pleaded guilty. The chief detective said that the owner of the jacket left it in a 'loose-bo::, from which accused took it to the Harp of Erin Hotel at EUeralie, where he was staying, and tfiere attached a Smith and Caughey label to it. When questioned 'by a. detectiv*.he j said that he had purchased the jacket j from Me?ers. Smith and Caughey's. - It I was his first time before the Court': The i Magistrate said he was not desiroiia ot j eending the accused to gaol, ,It was a deliberate theft, however,- and •he would have to he punished. He wag accordingly convicted and fined £5, the ! amount to be paid withing one month, failing which he would have to take .(the ] consequences.

BREACH OF SCAFFOIBIHG ACT. Hugh Gresham, Inspector of Scaffolding, proceeded against Herbert McLeod for two breaches of Section 4 of the Scaffolding Act. The charges were that on July 9, at Victoria Avenue, Remuera, and- on August 4, at Ascot Avenue,, he erected scaffolding six feet in height without giving due notice. He was fined £2 and 7/ costs on each charge.

motorist rrr trouble. J. B. Lindsay, Chief City Traffic Inspector, proceeded against Thomas Coyle for two alleged breaches of the city bylaw. The first charged Coyle with having driven an unregistered motor car, and the second with having driven tthe car without first having obtained a cer-. tifieate of competency. The facts came to light through Coyle having driven.Ms car at a furious rate, colliding with another vehicle. He was ordered to pay 7/ costs on the first charge, and was fined 10/ and 15/ costs on the second, Similar charges werep referred by.tho Inspector against Kobert William Hayson. On the first he was fined £1 and 15/ costs, and on the second he was convicted and ordered to pay 7/ costs. Ambrose Lewis was also proceeded against by the-inspector -for "driving »n unregistered-car... He. was fined If)/, and 9/ cost 3. - .."■■• -

FIXING THE HFTsFONSIBIDITY.; A charge" brought by"'lnspector ]JL I Alder, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, against Charles Kemble Wilson, a driver employed in the city, of cruelly illtreating a horse by; working it with a sore back, was adjourned to permit of action being taken against the owners—a course suggested by the Magistrate. BY REASON OF INTOXICATIOS. Arising out of an incident wherein amotor car knocked down a small,boy who was drawing a boy's .trolley ij Hobson Street on July 12, Michael McMahon, the driver of the motor car, wascharged that, being a licensed taxidriver he, by reason of intoxication, endangered the safety of William Tilly. Evidence "was given that about 6-p.m. on July 12 the hoy Tilly was drawing his trolley on the road in Hobson Street close to the footpath, -when a motor car ran into him and knocked him donri, •without doing him any serious injury;. Nobody actually witnessed the coins-ion, but MeMahon was driving the only cvi near at hand, and as there ms a clear t road there was no reason at all why defendant, should have run into the boy. A constable who had spoken to defendant on the taxi T&nk just prior, to the incident stated that defendant then was having an altercation with ahothef driver, and. in the witness opinion a> fendant Was then somewhat under to* influence of drink, though not to each extent as would justify charging him with drunkenness. Defendant admitted having had an altercation on the taxi rank, hut denied that he was afc all under the influence of drink. That day, he said, he bad only two drinks, one in the morning and another just about five in the afternoon. He bad ao knowledge o>f having knocked the 'boy down, and had felt no im.paet to apprise iim of having collided with anything. After having heard several witnessed as to -defendant's condition at stages of the day in question, his Worship convicted defendant, and fined him £3 and f'2 19/ costs. RAILWAY CARRIAGE SCENE. As a sequel to a scene in a suburban train on July 23 John Dungey Murtonwao charged that he used obscene language j on the train, assaulted bis wife, and behaved in a manner that -was offensive to j the passengers. The evidence was to the effect that Murton and his wile had been separated, and that on the evening of "'the day in question Mrs. Murton had got into the Manurewa train at Auckj land when Murton got into the same j carriage. Mc started to .call her names, ! and she went out and stood on the carriage platform. There Murton followed her, continued his abuse, and shook .his Sr-t in her face, threatening her. Tlje guard shifted Murton, but he again goi beside iiis wife, and continued the abuse. eventually put oft' the train a* j Remuera. The only evidence as to the obscene language was that of the wife, j t'ne other witnesses stating they did not catch the language. On beliaif of accused, Mr. §ulli?as entered a plea ot" guilty to a technical j assault, and to .bahavionr offensive to the passengers, but denied the obsceiw language.

His Worship dismissed' the language charge, and convicted accused on the other charges. He stated that persons who had no consideration for the feelings of other passengers in a radway carriage had to be taught consideration-. Accused would be fined 20/ and 43/ costs on the third chartre, and convicted and ordered to come"up for se*. tence when called unon on the othw. '•